Campsites near Amsterdam

More about Amsterdam

Amsterdam is the capital city of The Netherlands, and is the cultural, creative and financial centre of all things Dutch. The city is famously criss-crossed by a network of canals, a feature that has seen Amsterdam blessed with the nickname The Venice of the North. The Port of Amsterdam is to the Northwest of the city, with separate terminals for cruise ships and ferries.

Amsterdam's most famous reputation is for its liberal attitude towards most things (prostitution is legal and the smoking of cannabis is tolerated), but there is certainly more to Amsterdam than its infamous red-light district. The Netherlands' capital began life in the late 1100s as a small fishing village and by the 1600s had become one of the most important trading centres in the world.

Some late-medieval houses still exist in Amsterdam – in fact Amsterdam's city centre contains examples of surviving architecture from most of the intervening years, as the city suffered no major bombing campaigns during World War II. If sight-seeing is your main reason for visiting Amsterdam there are enough buildings, museums, churches and synagogues to keep you interested for days on end.

Be sure to visit museums dedicated to two of Amsterdam's most famous former residents – Anne Frank and Vincent Van Gogh – during your stay.